Single-use coffee pods and capsule coffee machines have revolutionized the way we consume coffee. But with them, an exorbitant amount of waste is generated every year. At Moving Beans Coffee, founders and academics Daniel Hardej, Gemma Guilera and Mischa Dohler are creating compostable coffee pods to tackle the waste problem. The Problem with Coffee Pods…
Brothers-in-law Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins opened the first Baskin-Robbins in 1945. Not wanting to be like other ice cream shops—offering only vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry—they came up with a unique twist: the 31 flavors concept. For years they created a new ice cream flavor for each day of the month. Now 1300 flavors and…
Singaporean social enterprise The Caffeine Experience is a home for ex-offenders, a place where ex-inmates are accepted despite their pasts. Its co-founder, Matthew Poh, who is an ex-convict, is helping ex-inmates rehabilitate back to society one cup of coffee at a time. Nobody understands dejection and losses better than ex-convict Matthew Poh, 50, who has…
In 2020, Ben and Jerry’s brand loyalty rose by 20%. That’s an impressive rise, especially in a year where most brands suffered. It’s especially impressive when you consider the number of premium ice cream competitors on the market. Ben and Jerry’s is a different kind of company. Spend a minute or two looking at their…
Did you know that building brand loyalty for your cafe can boost your overall profitability and save you money? Bain & Co released a report done on cost-cutting measures for businesses and the results were stunning. The study found that a 5% rise in customer retention can boost profitability by 75%. With such a statistic…
Being a restaurant server is hard work. You have to be likable to excel at your job. The best servers exhibit traits like multitasking, a cheerful spirit, and the ability to know what’s on the mind of the customer before they speak. However, as an individual much of your personality has already been formed so…
Mario loved chai so much he started a side hustle to share his love with the world. After years of dedication and difficulties, he was finally able to focus on the business full-time. Here is his Merchant Story. Mario Minichilli grew up in one of Melbourne’s ‘hospitality families’, spending his youth in and around their…
All over the world people scream for ice cream. Ice cream’s a booming market, one that’s expected to reach $89 billion in 2022. New Zealanders indulge the most—about 7.5 gallons per capita per year. Americans eat an average of 5.5 gallons. Fan-favorite Haagen-Dazs entered the market in 1960 with just three flavors: vanilla, chocolate and…
Darren’s passion for food led him to leave his radio job to focus on putting smiles on customers’ faces. Here is the story of Hungry Nerds. When Darren Wee started his job as a radio DJ at Power 98, he didn’t expect his career choice to send him on an F&B trajectory. But it did….
Monika wanted to make a direct impact on the impoverished villages around her in Cambodia. To make a difference, she started social enterprise Cambodia Knits. Here’s her Merchant Story. Originally from Canada, Monika Nowaczyk had been working in Cambodia for three years in the development sector when she recognised that there was a big need…